essay on project planning

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Project Plan, Essay Example

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When beginning a project in any business setting, it is important to implement a proper project management plan. These plans are essentials to every aspect of a project. There are nine subcategories involved with any project management plan. The project plan in its entirety will help to achieve goals, deliver the project, schedule the project, and create supporting plans involving the project (Haughey, 2013).

It is important to understand the stakeholders that are essential to the project plan. Stakeholders are the people who have an interest in plan or the people who will be affected by the outcome of the plan (Project planning: stakeholder analysis, 2013). The stakeholders involved in opening a restaurant are the owners, the project team, investors, future customers, and employees. It is important that they are all considered when planning the project.

The project that is being worked on is a business plan for a restaurant. There are many details that are involved with opening a restaurant, or any business for that manner. The project plan is going to help with any goals or time lines that are involved with this project. It is important that this project plan is implemented after being created.

The first step in the project plan is to create the scope management plan. The project scope includes all the details of the project (Project management knowledge, 2010). This includes all input and output within the project. In this plan the project is defined, how the project will develop, and work breakdown structure will be included (Project management knowledge, 2010).

Problems that may arise for the project manager, specifically pertaining to opening a restaurant could be that minor details may be missing. Details regarding how many employees are actually necessary or how many dishes will be needed. These issues may slip through the cracks when detailing the project as a whole.

Another issue may be the work breakdown. There may be people included in this plan that are not taking the responsibility necessary to complete the project. This could be from a lack of specific detail as to job responsibilities within the plan.

The next the subcategory of the project plan is the time management plan. This plan is fairly self explanatory. The time management portion of the plan will set specific deadlines for goals to be accomplished. This is very important, especially when opening a business. The business owner’s livelihood may depend on it.

Issue that may arise for the project manager may be that due to dire circumstances, the project falls behind. A restaurant may miss the expected opening date due to a failure to obtain proper licensing for food or liquor. Another issue could be that due to inclement weather, the contractors cannot complete their work in a timely manner. This part of the project plan could fall apart through no fault of the people in charge.

The cost management plan is very important to the project plan. The cost management plan provides details regarding the cost that will incur for the project, as well as the cost that will be received after the project is finished (Project management knowledge, 2010). These costs are estimates. It will also provide planning and structure for these costs incurred (Project management knowledge, 2010).

The project manager may run into issues if the costs are higher than the estimates included in the plan. Costs could rise if more labor is needed, if more materials are needed, or even more licensing than expected is needed when dealing with restaurants. Sometimes these aspects of the business can be hard to estimate. There could also be an issue if the quotes that were received change over the course of the project for some reason. This could affect time management if the funds are not available immediately.

The communication management plan is another aspect of a project plan. This plan offers details to how the team will communicate during the project (Project management knowledge, 2010). This could be any type of communication to include e-mails, cell phones, or even weekly memos. Communication is key in any project.

When planning for opening a restaurant, it is important to communicate any license requirements, materials needed, even a cleaning schedule for the project. An issue could arise if the team fails to inform each other of necessary work or other issues that may arise. If the entire team is informed there should not be problems, it is when communication breaks down that problems arise.

The next subcategory is the risk management plan. This plan outlines procedures to reduce risk and also how to handle risks that arise (Project management knowledge, 2010). With any project there are risks involved.

This very true with the restaurant business, from start to finish. Risks include economic hardships, people involved with the project, materials being used, etc. There are always risks, some can be foreseen and others cannot. It is important to understand that things do not always go according to plan and this may be something that the project manager will have to deal with.

The integration management plan includes all facets of the project that are interconnected (Project management knowledge, 2010). This plans details these facets and explains how they are connected. This important because it shows how these facets are cohesive and functional (Project management knowledge, 2010).

The project manager may have to deal with individuals that do not understand why a certain aspect of the project is important. For instance, with opening a restaurant, the project will include plans for taking part in charity endeavors. The integration plan will explain how it is important for the business to give back to community, so all aspects of the project must be completed before the grand opening date.

Next there is procurement management plan. This plan allows for the team to determine what must be procured early in the project cycle (Project management knowledge, 2010). This plan basically states what is needed to begin, continue, and finish the project.

Unfortunately for the project manager this plan is not set in stone and may change many times over the duration of the project. Again the issue of the budget may arise. If funds are not available, the plan will change accordingly.

The human resources management plan will define each role of the project, and assign these roles to individual members of the team (Project management knowledge, 2010). Personal responsibilities regarding the project will be given to individual team members and also how reporting to other team members will take place (Project management knowledge, 2010). This is essential to the project.

Issues that may arise for the project when opening a business in regards to human resources can vary but be multiple. Issues include laziness, miscommunication, misunderstanding, and also basic unpleasantness between specific team members. This all has to be dealt with fairly and accurately.

The quality management plan is the final subcategory in the project plan. This plan outlines the methodology that will be used to complete the project (Project management knowledge, 2010). This methodology will ensure that the project meets the necessary standards and level of quality that is expected from the team (Project management knowledge, 2010). It is very important to the overall project.

The major problem that could arise for the project manager is that certain team members may attempt to cut corners in an effort to save time or money. In a restaurant, if the product is not quality it will hurt business. Product includes dishes, food items, and even hired staff members. This should all be in place when the project is finished. If the end product of the project lacks quality, the project manager may face reprimands at the very least.

A project is a onetime effort to accomplish a goal (All about project management, 2013). It produces a given result. The project plan outlines goals, objectives, responsibilities, and outcomes. It is very important when planning for a business opening that the project plan is detailed and aligns with all nine subcategories included in the plan.

All about project management . (2013). Retrieved April 30, 2013, from Free management library: http://www.managementhelp.org

Haughey, D. (2013). Project planning a step by step guide . Retrieved April 30, 2013, from Project smart: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk

Project management knowledge . (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2013, from Project management knowledge: http:www.project-management-knowledge.com

Project planning: stakeholder analysis . (2013). Retrieved April 30, 2013, from JISC: http://www.jisc.ac.uk

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How to write an effective project plan in 6 simple steps

Contributing writer

If you’re a Type A personality, project planning might sound like music to your ears. Setting deadlines, organizing tasks, and creating order out of chaos — what’s not to love?

The reality is that project planning isn’t for everyone. In one survey by Association for Project Management, 76% of project professionals said their main project was a source of stress . Poor planning, unclear responsibilities, and overallocation are often the culprits behind the stress. 

An effective project plan helps teams stay within budget, scope, and schedule, while delivering quality work. In short, it gets you to the finish line without the stress.  

What is a project plan?

A project plan, also known as a work plan, is a blueprint of your project lifecycle. It’s like a roadmap — it clearly outlines how to get from where you are now (the beginning of the project) to where you want to go (the successful completion of the project). 

“A project plan is an action plan outlining how…[to] accomplish project goals,” says Jami Yazdani , certified Project Management Professional (PMP), project coach, project management consultant, and founder of Yazdani Consulting and Facilitation . 

A comprehensive project plan includes the project schedule, project scope, due dates, and deliverables. Writing a good project plan is key for any new, complex project in the pipeline.

Why Are Project Plans Important?

Project plans allow you to visualize your entire project, from beginning to end—and develop a clear strategy to get from point A to point B. Project plans steer stakeholders in the right direction and keep team members accountable with a common baseline.  

Project plans help you stay agile

Projects are bound by what is traditionally called the “iron triangle” of project management . It means that project managers have to work within the three constraints of scope, resources (project budget and teams), and schedule. You cannot make changes to one without impacting the other two.    

Modern-day project management has shifted to a more agile approach, with a focus on quality. This means that resources and schedules remain unchanged but a fixed number of iterations (flexible scope) helps teams deliver better quality and more value. 

A project plan puts this “agile triangle” in place by mapping out resources, schedules, and the number of iterations — sprints if you’re using a Scrum framework and work in progress (WIP) limits if you’re using the Kanban methodology . 

As Yazdani points out, “Project plans help us strategize a path to project success, allowing us to consider the factors that will impact our project, from stakeholders to budget to schedule delays, and plan how to maximize or mitigate these factors.” 

Project plans provide complete visibility

A project plan, when created with a comprehensive project management software , gives you 360-degree visibility throughout the project lifecycle. 

As a project manager, you need a single source of truth on team members and their project tasks, project scope, project objectives, and project timelines. A detailed project plan gives you this visibility and helps teams stay on track.

Project plans also help to get everyone involved on the same page, setting clear expectations around what needs to be accomplished, when, and by who. 

“Project plans create a framework for measuring project progress and success,” says Yazdani. “Project plans set clear expectations for…stakeholders by outlining exactly what…will [be accomplished] and when it will be delivered.”

Project plans boost engagement and productivity

A well-written project plan clarifies how each individual team member’s contributions play into the larger scope of the project and align with company goals. When employees see how their work directly impacts organizational growth, it generates buy-in and drives engagement , which is critical to a project’s success. 

“Project plans provide…teams with purpose and direction,” says Yazdani. “Transparent project plans show team members how their individual tasks and responsibilities contribute to the overall success of the project, encouraging engagement and collaboration.”

How To Write A Project Plan in 6 Steps

Writing a project plan requires, well, planning. Ideally, the seeds for a project plan need to be sowed before internal project sign-off begins. Before that sign-off, conduct capacity planning to estimate the resources you will need and if they’re available for the duration of the project. After all, you want to set your teams up for success with realistic end dates, buffer time to recharge or catch up in case of unexpected delays, and deliver quality work without experiencing burnout .

Based on organizational capacity, you can lay down project timelines and map out scope as well as success metrics, outline tasks, and build a feedback loop into your project plan. Follow these project planning steps to create a winning plan:      

1. Establish Project Scope And Metrics

Defining your project scope is essential to protecting your iron, or agile, triangle from crumbling. Too often, projects are hit with scope creep , causing delays, budget overruns, and anxiety.

“Clearly define your project’s scope or overall purpose,” says Yazdani. “Confirm any project parameters or constraints, like budget, resource availability, and timeline,” says Yazdani.

A project purpose statement is a high-level brief that defines the what, who, and why of the project along with how and when the goal will be accomplished. But just as important as defining your project scope and purpose is defining what metrics you’re going to use to track progress.

“Establish how you will measure success,” says Yazdani. “Are there metrics, performance criteria, or quality standards you need to meet?”

Clearly defining what your project is, the project’s overall purpose, and how you’re going to measure success lays the foundation for the rest of your project plan—so make sure you take the time to define each of these elements from the get-go.

2. Identify Key Project Stakeholders 

Get clarity on the team members you need to bring the project to life. In other words, identify the key stakeholders of the project. 

“List individuals or groups who will be impacted by the project,” says Yazdani. 

In addition to identifying who needs to be involved in the project, think about how they’ll need to be involved—and at what level. Use a tool like Confluence to run a virtual session to clarify roles and responsibilities, and find gaps that need to be filled. 

Let’s say you’re managing a cross-functional project to launch a new marketing campaign that includes team members from your marketing, design, and sales departments. 

When identifying your key stakeholders, you might create different lists based on the responsibility or level of involvement with the project:

• Decision-makers (who will need to provide input at each step of the project)
• Managers (who will be overseeing employees within their department) 
• Creative talent (who will be actually creating the project deliverables for the campaign) from each department. 

Give your project plan an edge by using a Confluence template like the one below to outline roles and responsibilities.

Define roles, discuss responsibilities, and clarify which tasks fall under each teammate’s purview using this Confluence template. 

Getting clarity on who needs to be involved in the project—and how they’re going to be involved—will help guide the rest of the project plan writing process (particularly when it comes to creating and assigning tasks).

3. Outline Deliverables

Now is the time to get granular.

Each project milestone comprises a series of smaller, tangible tasks that your teams need to produce. While a big-picture view keeps teams aligned, you need signposts along the way to guide them on a day-to-day or weekly basis. Create a list of deliverables that will help you achieve the greater vision of the project. 

“What will you create, build, design, produce, accomplish or deliver?” says Yazdani. “Clearly outline your project’s concrete and tangible deliverables or outcomes.” Centralize these deliverables in a Trello board with designated cards for each one, like in the example below, so you keep work moving forward.

Each card on a board represents tasks and ideas and you can move cards across lists to show progress.

Defining the concrete items you need your project to deliver will help you reverse-engineer the things that need to happen to bring those items to life—which is a must before moving on to the next step.

4. Develop Actionable Tasks

Task management is an important component of any project plan because they help employees see what exactly they need to accomplish. Drill down those deliverables into actionable tasks to assign to your team. 

You can use either Confluence or Jira for different task management needs. If you want to track tasks alongside your work, like action items from a meeting or small team projects, it’s best to use Confluence. But if a project has multiple teams and you need insight into workflows, task history, and reporting, Jira makes it easy.      

“Let your deliverables guide the work of the project,” says Yazdani. “Break down each deliverable into smaller and smaller components until you get to an actionable task.” If a major deliverable is a set of content pieces, the smaller actionable tasks would be to create topic ideas, conduct research, and create outlines for each topic.  

Once you’ve broken down all of your deliverables into manageable, assignable subtasks, analyze how each of those tasks interacts with each other. That way, you can plan, prioritize, assign, and add deadlines accordingly.  

“Highlight any dependencies between tasks, such as tasks that can’t be started until another task is complete,” says Yazdani. “List any resources you will need to accomplish these tasks.”

When a task has multiple assignees, you need to streamline the workflow in your project plan. Say the content pieces you outlined need to be edited or peer-reviewed. A couple of articles may need an interview with a subject matter expert. Lay down a stage-by-stage process of each piece of content and pinpoint when each team member comes into play so you prevent bottlenecks and adjust timeframes.     

5. Assign Tasks And Deadlines

Assign tasks to your team and collaborate with employees to set deadlines for each task. When you involve employees in setting workloads and deadlines , you increase ownership and boost the chances of delivering quality work on time.  

After all, you want to move projects forward at a steady pace, but you also want to make sure your teams stay motivated and engaged. So, when writing your project plan, make sure to “set realistic and achievable deadlines for completing tasks and deliverables,” says Yazdani. “Highlight dates that are inflexible and factor in task dependencies. Add in milestones or checkpoints to monitor progress and celebrate successes .”

Use Jira and Confluence to create tasks that live alongside your project plan or meeting agendas.

Once you map out all of your tasks and deadlines, you should have a clear picture of how and when your project is going to come together—and the initial writing process is just about finished.

But that doesn’t mean your project plan is complete! There’s one more key step to the process.

6. Share, Gather Feedback, And Adjust The Project Plan As Necessary

While steps 1 through 5 may make up your initial writing process, if you want your project plan to be as strong and complete as it can be, it’s important to share it with your team—and get their input on how they think it can be improved.

“Share the plan with your project team and key stakeholders, gathering feedback to make adjustments and improvements,” says Yazdani. 

A tool like Confluence helps knowledge flow freely within teams and departments, leading to better teamwork, higher collaboration, and a shared understanding of priorities. Coworkers can use comments, mentions, notifications, and co-editing capabilities to provide and discuss feedback. 

After you gather your team’s feedback —and make any necessary adjustments based on that feedback—you can consider your project plan complete. Hooray! 

But as your project progresses, things may change or evolve—so it’s important to stay flexible and make changes and adjustments as needed.

“Expect to update your plan as you gather more information, encounter changing requirements and delays, and learn from feedback and mistakes,” says Yazdani. “By using your project plan to guide your activities and measure progress, you’ll be able to refine and improve your plan as you move through the project, tweaking tasks and deadlines as deliverables are developed.”

Download a  template to create your project plan and customize it based on your needs.

Example of a simple project plan 

A project plan doesn’t have to be a complicated spreadsheet with multiple tabs and drop-down menus. It’s best to use a project planning tool like Confluence — or at least a project plan template — to make sure you cover every aspect of the project. A simple project plan includes these elements:

• Project name, brief summary, and objective.
• Project players or team members who will drive the project, along with their roles and responsibilities.
• Key outcomes and due dates.
• Project elements, ideally divided into must-have, nice-to-have and not-in-scope categories.
• Milestones, milestone owners, and a project end date.
• Reference material relevant to the project.

Best Practices For Writing Effective Project Plans

A project planning process can quickly turn into a mishmash of goals and tasks that end up in chaos but these best practices can give you a framework to create a project plan that leads to success.

Use Other Project Plans For Inspiration

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel for every new project! Instead, look to other successful project plans for inspiration—and use them as a guide when writing the plan for your project.

“Review templates and plans for similar projects, or for other projects within your organization or industry, to get ideas for structuring and drafting your own plan,” says Yazdani.

To get started, use a Trello project management template and customize it for your project plan by creating unique lists and adding cards under each list.

Build your team’s ideal workflow and mark each stage of the project plan as a list, with cards for each task. 

Get Your Team Involved In The Process

You may be in charge of spearheading the project. But that doesn’t mean that you have to—or even that you should—write the project plan alone. 

“Collaborate with your project team and key stakeholders on crafting a project plan,” says Yazdani. “Input into the project plan supports buy-in to project goals and encourages continued engagement throughout the project.”

With Confluence , you can organize project details in a centralized space and build a project plan collaboratively.

Don’t Let Perfect Be The Enemy Of The Good

You may be tempted to write (and rewrite) your project plan until you’ve got every detail mapped out perfectly. But spending too much time trying to get everything “perfect” can actually hold up the project. So don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good—and instead of getting caught up in getting everything perfect from the get-go, stay willing and flexible to adjust your project plan as you move forward.

“Focus on outcomes, not plan perfection,” says Yazdani. “While it would be awesome for the first draft of our plan to require no changes while also inspiring our team and ensuring project success, our goal shouldn’t be a perfect plan. Our goal is a plan that allows us to successfully deliver on project goals. Responsiveness to changing needs and a shifting environment is more important than plan perfection.”

Use the right tools to succeed with your project plan

Writing a project plan, especially if you’re new to the process, can feel overwhelming. But now that you know the exact steps to write one, make sure you have the tools you need to create a strong, cohesive plan from the ground up—and watch your project thrive as a result. 

Atlassian Together can help with project planning and management with a powerful combination of tools that make work flow across teams.

Guide your team to project success with Atlassian Together’s suite of products.

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Importance of Project Planning: An Overview

Ready to learn about the Importance of Project Planning? This comprehensive blog includes an overview of project planning, a discussion on why project planning is crucial, an examination of its key components, an in-depth look at the five phases of a project's life cycle, and more in detail. Read more to learn!

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Moreover, it minimises uncertainties, optimises resource allocation, and ensures that teams are aligned with Project objectives. It is impossible to underline the Importance of Project Planning. Learn why effective Project Planning is essential for Project success and business success. 

Table of Contents  

1) Project Planning- an overview 

2) Discussing the Importance of Project Planning 

3) Exploring the key components of Project Planning 

4) Looking at the five phases of a Project’s life cycle 

5) The key tools you need for Project Planning 

6) Steps you can take to create an effective Project Plan 

7) Conclusion 

Project Planning- an overview  

Project Planning is a fundamental process in Project Management, serving as the compass that guides an endeavour from its conceptualisation to successful completion. Project Planning is the systematic and strategic process of defining, organising, and outlining all the essential components and activities required to achieve a specific goal or objective within a predetermined timeframe and budget. 

Furthermore, Project Planners meticulously outline the Project's scope, objectives, tasks, and resources, breaking down complex endeavours into manageable units. They establish a clear roadmap that not only serves as a reference for team members but also helps in managing expectations among stakeholders. 

Project Planning encompasses several key elements: 

a) Scope definition : Clearly delineating the Project's boundaries and what it aims to accomplish, thus preventing scope creep. 

b) Objective setting : Establishing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals that guide the Project's direction. 

c) Resource allocation : Determining the necessary resources, whether they be human, financial, or material, and allocating them efficiently. 

d) Timelines : Creating detailed schedules, often visualised through Gantt charts or Project Management software, to manage deadlines and dependencies.  

Discussing the Importance of Project Planning  

Project Planning is the cornerstone of effective Project Management, and its importance cannot be overstated in today's dynamic and competitive business landscape. It serves as the essential blueprint that lays the foundation for a Project’s success. Here are key reasons why Project Planning is of Importance:  

Minimising uncertainty  

Project Planning allows teams to identify potential risks, uncertainties, and challenges early in the process. By conducting a thorough risk assessment, Project Managers can develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans, reducing the likelihood of unexpected setbacks during Project execution. 

Resource allocation  

A well-structured Project Plan helps allocate resources efficiently. It ensures that human resources, budgets, and materials are distributed optimally to support Project objectives. Effective resource allocation prevents overburdening team members and minimises wastage, ultimately leading to cost savings. 

Stakeholder alignment   

Clear Project Planning documents, including scope statements, objectives, and timelines, align stakeholders' expectations. This alignment fosters collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and minimises conflicts among Project participants. When everyone understands the Project's direction, it's easier to work together toward a common goal. 

Time management   

Project Planning establishes realistic timelines and deadlines for each Project phase and task. This helps teams prioritise their activities, set milestones, and monitor progress. Effective time management ensures that Projects stay on track, preventing delays that could impact delivery dates. 

Budget control  

A well-defined Project Plan includes a detailed budget breakdown. This budget provides a financial roadmap for the Project, allowing for the allocation of funds to specific tasks and activities. By closely monitoring budget expenditures throughout the Project's life cycle, organisations can control costs and prevent budget overruns. 

Quality assurance  

Project Planning encompasses quality assurance measures, ensuring that deliverables meet predefined standards and quality criteria. By proactively addressing quality issues in the planning phase, teams can avoid costly rework and enhance the overall Project outcome. 

Client satisfaction  

Effective Project Planning leads to successful Project outcomes. When Projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with stakeholders' expectations, client satisfaction increases. Satisfied clients are more likely to become repeat customers and provide positive referrals. 

Continuous improvement  

Post-project evaluations often reveal areas where improvements can be made. A structured Project Plan includes mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating Project performance. These insights can inform future Projects, enabling organisations to refine their processes and achieve even better results. 

Monitor Projects effectively by signing up for our Project Planning and Control™ (PPC) Foundation now!  

Exploring the key components of Project Planning  

Project Planning is a systematic process that involves several key components, each playing a crucial role in ensuring the success of a Project. These components collectively form the blueprint for Project execution, guiding the Project team from initiation to completion. Here are the key components of Project Planning:  

Project scope  

Defining the Project scope is the first and foremost step in Project Planning. It involves clarifying what the Project will accomplish, its boundaries, and what it will not include. A well-defined scope prevents scope creep, ensuring the Project stays on track and within its intended parameters. 

Project objectives  

Project Planning sets clear, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives. These objectives serve as the Project's goals and help align efforts toward a common purpose. 

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)  

The WBS is a hierarchical breakdown of the Project into smaller, manageable tasks and activities. It provides a detailed view of the Project's components, helping in resource allocation and task assignment. 

Project Planning involves identifying and allocating the necessary resources, including human resources, budgets, materials, and equipment. Efficient resource allocation ensures that the Project has the required support to achieve its goals. 

Project schedule  

Creating a timeline or Project schedule is critical. This component outlines the sequence of tasks, their dependencies, and deadlines. Project Managers often use tools like Gantt charts to visualise and manage schedules effectively. 

Risk assessment and mitigation  

Identifying potential risks and uncertainties is essential. Project Planning includes a risk assessment that outlines the potential challenges and their impacts. Strategies for risk mitigation and contingency plans are developed to address these challenges. 

Quality standards  

Establishing and documenting quality standards ensures that Project deliverables meet the required level of quality. Quality planning outlines the criteria and metrics for measuring quality throughout the Project. 

Communication plan  

Effective communication is vital for Project success. A communication plan defines how Project information will be disseminated, who the stakeholders are, and what channels and frequency will be used for communication. 

Procurement plan  

In Projects involving external suppliers or vendors, a procurement plan is developed. It outlines the procurement strategy, selection criteria for vendors, and the procurement process. 

Change management  

Project Planning includes provisions for change management. It addresses how changes to Project scope, objectives, or requirements will be managed, ensuring that changes are documented, evaluated, and approved before implementation. 

Cost estimate and budget  

Project Planning includes the estimation of Project costs and the creation of a detailed budget. This budget serves as a financial roadmap for the Project, guiding financial decisions throughout the Project lifecycle. 

Stakeholder analysis  

Identifying and analysing stakeholders is crucial for managing expectations and addressing their concerns. A stakeholder analysis helps in tailoring communication and engagement strategies for different stakeholder groups. 

Legal and regulatory considerations  

Depending on the Project's nature and location, there may be legal and regulatory requirements that need to be considered during planning. Compliance with these requirements is crucial to avoid legal issues. 

Monitoring and evaluation  

Project Planning should include mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating Project performance against the defined objectives and milestones. This component ensures that the Project stays on track and allows for adjustments as needed. 

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Looking at the five phases of a Project’s life cycle  

A Project life cycle is a structured framework that defines the phases a Project goes through, from initiation to completion. It typically includes stages like initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closure. Each phase has specific goals and tasks, ensuring organised and efficient Project Management. Here is each phase described in further detail as follows:  

Initiation  

The initiation phase marks the beginning of a Project’s life cycle. It's a critical step where the Project's feasibility, purpose, and objectives are defined. During this phase, key stakeholders identify the Project's scope, its potential benefits, and assess whether it aligns with the organisation's goals.  

Furthermore, a Project charter or initiation document is often created to outline the Project's key details, such as its objectives, scope, budget, and initial timeline. Additionally, the initiation phase involves appointing a Project Manager and assembling a Project team, setting the foundation for comprehensive planning and successful Project execution in subsequent phases. 

Planning  

The planning phase is the pivotal stage in the Project life cycle. This phase comprises of the detailed strategies that are developed to achieve Project objectives. It encompasses defining Project scope, setting clear goals, creating a comprehensive work breakdown structure (WBS), allocating resources, establishing timelines, and formulating Risk Management plans.  

Furthermore, Project Managers and teams collaborate to produce a detailed Project Plan, including tasks, dependencies, and milestones. Budgets, quality standards, and communication plans are refined.  

Moreover, this phase ensures that everyone involved understands their roles and responsibilities, laying a solid foundation for efficient Project execution. Effective planning minimises risks and increases the likelihood of on-time, on-budget Project completion. 

Execution  

The execution phase is where the Project Plan comes to life. It involves putting the meticulously crafted plans into action. Project teams carry out assigned tasks, utilising allocated resources and adhering to the established timelines.  

Additionally, clear communication and collaboration among team members are crucial during this phase to ensure seamless progress. The Project Manager plays a pivotal role in coordinating efforts, monitoring progress, and addressing issues as they arise.  

Furthermore, quality control measures are applied to maintain the Project's integrity, and any necessary changes are managed according to the change control process. Successful execution brings the Project closer to its objectives and delivers tangible results. 

Monitoring and managing  

The monitoring and managing phase is the stage where Project Managers and teams continuously track progress against the Project Plan. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), milestones, and quality standards are rigorously evaluated.  

Moreover, any deviations from the plan are identified, and corrective actions are taken to keep the Project on course. Risk Management remains a focus, with proactive risk mitigation strategies applied as necessary.  

Furthermore, communication with stakeholders is ongoing to provide updates and address concerns. This phase ensures that the Project remains aligned with its objectives, budgets, and timelines, allowing for effective decision-making and the successful delivery of the Project. 

Closure  

The closure phase represents the culmination of the Project life cycle. It involves the systematic and organised closure of all Project activities. This includes verifying that all Project deliverables are met, finalising documentation, conducting a thorough review to ensure that Project objectives are achieved, and obtaining client or stakeholder acceptance.  

Furthermore, financial and administrative closure tasks are executed, including settling outstanding bills, releasing Project resources, and archiving Project-related documents. Additionally, lessons learned are documented to facilitate future improvements.  

Moreover, the closure phase ensures that the Project concludes smoothly, with all loose ends tied up, resources released, and stakeholders satisfied, marking a successful conclusion to the Project. 

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The key tools you need for Project Planning  

Effective Project Planning is crucial for business success, and having the right tools can greatly enhance the process. Here are key tools that businesses need for Project Planning:  

a) Project Management software : This is the cornerstone of Project Planning. Tools like Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, or Jira help teams create Project schedules, track progress, manage tasks, and collaborate efficiently. They provide a centralised platform for team communication and task management. 

b) Gantt charts : Gantt charts are visual tools that display Project tasks and their timelines in a bar chart format. They help Project Managers and teams visualise task dependencies and the overall Project timeline, aiding in efficient scheduling and resource allocation. 

c) Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) software : WBS software helps in creating and organising a hierarchical breakdown of Project tasks, allowing for a clear understanding of the Project's components and their relationships. 

d) Communication tools : Collaboration and communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Basecamp facilitate real-time communication among Project team members. They enable document sharing, instant messaging, and video conferencing, enhancing team collaboration regardless of location. 

e) Risk Management software : Tools such as risk register software help in identifying, assessing, and managing Project risks. They assist in developing mitigation strategies and contingency plans to minimise the impact of potential issues. 

f) Resource management software : These tools assist in allocating and managing Project resources efficiently. They provide insights into resource availability, workload, and allocation, preventing overallocation and ensuring optimal resource utilisation. 

g) Financial and budgeting software : Financial tools help in creating Project budgets, tracking expenses, and managing financial resources. They allow for accurate cost estimation and control throughout the Project. 

h) Document management systems : Systems like SharePoint or Google Workspace facilitate document storage, version control, and collaborative editing, ensuring that Project documentation is organised and accessible to all team members. 

i) Risk analysis software : For complex Projects, specialised risk analysis software can help in modelling and simulating various scenarios to assess potential risks and their impact on the Project. 

j) Reporting and analytics tools : Reporting tools like Tableau or Power BI enable Project managers to create and share performance dashboards and reports. These tools provide insights into Project progress, KPIs, and areas requiring attention. 

k) Time tracking software : Time tracking tools help in monitoring the time spent on Project tasks and activities. This data is valuable for assessing productivity, estimating future Projects, and managing billable hours for client Projects. 

l) Integration platforms : Integration tools like Zapier or Integromat can connect various software applications, automating data transfer and reducing manual data entry between different Project Management tools. 

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Steps you can take to create an effective Project Plan  

Creating an effective Project Plan is vital for achieving Project success. Here are five key steps to guide you through the process:  

a) Define clear objectives and scope : Clearly articulate the project's objectives, goals, and deliverables. Define what the project will achieve and what it won't. 

b) Create a detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) : Develop a hierarchical breakdown of all Project tasks and deliverables using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This visual roadmap helps organise Project components, making them easier to manage and assign. 

c) Set realistic timelines : Establish a Project schedule with clear timelines for each task and milestone. Use tools like Gantt charts to visualise dependencies and critical paths. Ensure that your timelines are achievable and consider potential constraints. 

d) Allocate resources effectively : Identify the resources required for each task, including personnel, budgets, materials, and equipment. Efficient resource allocation prevents overburdening teams and helps maintain cost control. 

d) Monitor progress and adjust : Regularly track Project progress against your plan. Implement a monitoring and controlling process to identify issues early and take corrective actions. Be prepared to adapt the plan when unforeseen challenges arise, maintaining flexibility and agility throughout the Project's lifecycle. 

Conclusion  

The Importance of Project Planning cannot be overstated. A well-crafted Project Plan serves as the guiding compass, minimising risks, optimising resources, and ensuring successful Project outcomes. By diligently following the steps outlined and utilising the right tools, businesses can navigate the complexities of Project Management and achieve their goals with confidence. 

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Project Planning and Management

Introduction, what should be included in the detailing project plan, two reasons why scheduling resources is a vital task, the importance of project work outsourcing.

Project planning is the foundation of any project work success. Managers need to understand all the steps in the project planning process. There are several approaches to project planning but a few are universally acceptable as vital in project planning. This essay seeks to address the topic of detailing project plan.

1. Creation of the work breakdown structure and task list

This is the starting point in detailing the project plan. The work breakdown structure refers to a hierarchical list of the milestones, tasks and phases of the entire project. It is a vital step in detailing project plan because it determines the scope of the project which in turn determines the project’s budget and timeline. The project designer should list the main components of the project which are a summary of the entire project tasks. The next assignment is to list the minor pieces under every major piece (Richman, 2006, p. 73).

2. Out dent or indent tasks to finalize work breakdown structure

This process helps in summarizing the project phases and tasks. This is usually after entering the main tasks in the task name field. The project designer uses the out dent and indent buttons in formatting the plan to the correct levels. Indentation shows the difference between the subtasks from the major phases of the project plan. There is no indentation of activities under the subtasks (Bunin, 2011, p. 115).

3. Filling in estimations of time

This process involves entering duration or work in to the project plan. Duration is the actual amount of time it will take to complete the project. Work is the total number of personnel hours or effort that is necessary to complete the task. One should choose either the duration or work approach in project detailing (Haugan, 2002, p. 58).

4. Create dependencies between tasks

This is the creation of task links through the dependency chains. Dependencies occur when the commencement or ending of a task relies on the commencement or accomplishment of another one. This helps in recognizing the driving factors of the project and the project’s critical path. It determines changes that occur in the entire project when there are alterations of other tasks (Bunin, 2011, p. 316).

5. Assign resources

This is the final step in detailing a project plan. It is vital to understand the resource assigning approach at the initial stages of the project. This step involves resource allocation to project activities. He should allocate resources in the project schedule (Lowery and Stover, 2001, pp.71-80).

Scheduling of project resources is a vital step in project planning. If the resources are not available, it is impossible to undertake the task. Recourses scheduling helps to ensure that resource allocation is not in excess. It also ensures that resources are available on time to avoid any inconveniences (Lowery and Stover, 2001, pp. 71-80).

Project work outsourcing for a third party is helpful. This practice enables project managers to concurrently plan and manage many projects. Project directors utilize the project management technology in determining other useful resources in carrying out project activities. The resources from outsourcing become handy when the staff resources are inadequate or not available (Lowery and Stover, 2001, p. 71-80).

This essay is on detailing project plan. It covers the five vital elements in a detailing project plan, and the two reasons why resource scheduling is a vital task in detailing project plan. The essay summarizes by looking at how outsourcing project work contributes in alleviating some common problems in multiple project resource scheduling.

• Bunin, R.B. (2011). New perspective on Microsoft project 2009: Introductory. Boston: Cengage learning.
• Haugan, G.T. (2002). Project planning and scheduling. Vienna: management concepts Inc.
• Lowery, G. & Stover, T.S. (2001). Managing projects with Microsoft project 2000. Canada: John Wiley & sons, Inc.
• Richman, L. (2006). Improving your project management skills. New York: Amacom

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Project Planning: How to Make a Project Plan

This guide is brought to you by projectmanager, the project planning software trusted by 35,000+ users worldwide. make a project plan in minutes.

What Is a Project Plan?

How to create a project plan, project planning phase, what is project planning software, benefits of online project planning software, must-have project planning software features, project planning terms, project planning steps, how to create a project plan with projectmanager, what is the purpose of a project management plan, the elements of a project plan, how long does the project planning phase take, techniques for the project planning process, how to manage your project plan.

A project plan is a series of formal documents that define the execution and control stages of a project. The plan includes considerations for risk management, resource management and communications, while also addressing scope, cost and schedule baselines. Project planning software is used by project managers to ensure that their plans are thorough and robust.

ProjectManager allows you to make detailed project plans with online Gantt charts that have task dependencies, resource hours, labor costs, milestones, the critical path and more. Plus, your team can execute the plan in any of our five project views, while you track progress along the way with dashboards. Start today for free.

The project plan, also called project management plan, answers the who, what, where, why, how and when of the project—it’s more than a Gantt chart with tasks and due dates. The purpose of a project plan is to guide the execution and control project phases.

As mentioned above, a project plan consists of the following documents:

• Project Charter : Provides a general overview of the project. It describes the project’s reasons, goals, objectives, constraints, stakeholders, among other aspects.
• Statement of Work : A statement of work (SOW) defines the project’s scope, schedule, deliverables, milestones, and tasks.
• Work Breakdown Structure : Breaks down the project scope into the project phases, subprojects, deliverables, and work packages that lead to your final deliverable.
• Project Plan : The project plan document is divided in sections to cover the following: scope management, quality management, risk assessment, resource management, stakeholder management, schedule management and the change management plan.

This guide aims to give you all the information and resources you need to create a project plan and get it approved by your customers and stakeholders. Let’s start with the basics of writing a project plan.

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Project Plan Template

Use this free Project Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better.

Your project plan is essential to the success of any project. Without one, your project may be susceptible to common project management issues such as missed deadlines, scope creep and cost overrun. While writing a project plan is somewhat labor intensive up front, the effort will pay dividends throughout the project life cycle.

The basic outline of any project plan can be summarized in these five steps:

• Define your project’s stakeholders, scope, quality baseline, deliverables, milestones, success criteria and requirements. Create a project charter, work breakdown structure (WBS) and a statement of work (SOW) .
• Identify risks and assign deliverables to your team members, who will perform the tasks required and monitor the risks associated with them.
• Organize your project team (customers, stakeholders, teams, ad hoc members, and so on), and define their roles and responsibilities.
• List the necessary project resources , such as personnel, equipment, salaries, and materials, then estimate their cost.
• Develop change management procedures and forms.
• Create a communication plan , schedule, budget and other guiding documents for the project.

Each of the steps to write a project plan explained above correspond to the 5 project phases, which we will outline in the next section.

What Are the 5 Phases of the Project Life Cycle?

Any project , whether big or small, has the potential to be very complex. It’s much easier to break down all the necessary inclusions for a project plan by viewing your project in terms of phases. The Project Management Institute , within the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK), have identified the following 5 phases of a project:

• Initiation: The start of a project, in which goals and objectives are defined through a business case and the practicality of the project is determined by a feasibility study.
• Planning: During the project planning phase, the scope of the project is defined by a work breakdown structure (WBS) and the project methodology to manage the project is decided on. Costs, quality and resources are estimated, and a project schedule with milestones and task dependencies is identified. The main deliverable of this phase is your project plan.
• Execution: The project deliverables are completed during this phase. Usually, this phase begins with a kick-off meeting and is followed by regular team meetings and status reports while the project is being worked on.
• Monitoring & Controlling: This phase is performed in tandem with the project execution phase. Progress and performance metrics are measured to keep progress on the project aligned with the project plan.
• Closure: The project is completed when the stakeholder receives the final deliverable. Resources are released, contracts are signed off on and, ideally, there will be an evaluation of the successes and failures.

Free Project Plan Template

Address all aspects of your project plan with this free project plan template for Word . This in-depth template will guide you through every phase of the project, as well as all the elements you need to outline for a proper document. Download your template today.

We’ve created also created other project planning templates to help you create all the different documents that make up a project plan, like the project schedule, project budget or resource plan.

Now that we’ve learned how to make a project plan, and identified the stages of the project management life cycle, we need to emphasize on the importance of the project planning phase.

The project planning process is critical for any kind of project because this is where you create all the documents that will guide how you’ll execute your project plan and how you’ll control risks and any issues that might occur. These documents, which are part of the project management plan, cover all the details of your project without exception.

There are project plan templates out there that can help you organize your tasks and begin the project planning process—but we here at ProjectManager recommend the use of project planning software. The feature set is far more robust and integrated with every project phase compared to an Excel project plan template, and is a great way to ensure your actual progress stays aligned with your planned progress.

Once you write a project plan, it’s time for implementation . Watch the video below to see how project planning software helps organize a project’s tasks, resources and costs.

Project planning tools has become an invaluable tool for project managers in recent years, as it provides them the ability to maintain and automate the components we outlined above. Project planning software is a great tool to facilitate project management processes such as schedule development, team management, cost estimation, resource allocation and risk monitoring.

Beyond that, planning software also allows managers to monitor and track their plan as it moves through the execution phase of the project. These features include dashboards, for a high-level view of the project’s progress and performance, and in-depth reports that can be used to communicate with stakeholders.

Project planning software comes in all different sizes and shapes. There are some that focus on a single aspect, and others that offer a suite of planning features that can be used in each one of the project planning steps. What’s right for your project depends on your specific needs, but in general terms, project planning software is a much more powerful tool than project planning templates .

Related: 20 Must-Have Project Management Excel Templates

Online project planning software is highly flexible and adaptable to your team’s style of work. It has features that are designed to assist you throughout your project planning process.

Before the rise of planning software, project managers would typically have to keep up with a disjointed collection of documents, excel spreadsheets and so on. Savvy managers, however, make use of the project management tools available to them to automate what they can, and streamline what they can’t.

Some of the time-saving benefits of project planning software include the following.

• Organize, prioritize and assign tasks
• Plan and schedule milestones and task dependencies
• Monitor progress, costs and resources
• Collaborate with team
• Share project plans with team and stakeholders
• Generate reports on plans

Gantt Charts for Superior Planning

A Gantt chart is the most essential tool for the project planning process. Organize tasks, add their duration and they automatically populate a project timeline . Set milestones to break the larger project into manageable phases, and link task dependencies to avoid bottlenecks later in the project.

Get More Than a To-Do List

When planning a project, you need more than a to-do list. Seek out a planning software with a task list feature that lets you set priority levels, filters and collaborate. It’s a big plus if you can also make personal task lists that are private to manage your own work.

Use Kanban for Workflows

Workflows ensure proper execution of your plan, and no feature does this better than kanban boards. Customize boards to match your workflow and drag and drop cards as teams get their work done. See what work needs to be done and keep the focus on productivity with this feature.

Be Able to Track Progress

A dashboard can keep your project plan on track. Try and find a dashboard that’s synced with your planning tools, so everything updates automatically. It will make reporting easier too.

Get Transparency Into Teams

For a plan to go smoothly, you have to know what your team is working on. Find a way to balance your team’s availability with the project schedule. Workload features that map out resource allocation and holidays can be a big help here.

Be Able to Manage Multiple Projects

Rarely do you need to only focus on one project at a time. Give yourself the flexibility to manage multiple projects at once in the same tool. A roadmap feature that maps all of your projects on one timeline can be a lifesaver.

Before we dive into how to create a project plan, it helps to be familiar with some of the terms that you’ll run across. Here is a list of general terms you’ll encounter in this guide.

• Deliverable: The results of a project, such as a product, service, report, etc.
• Stakeholder: Anyone with a vested interest in the project—project manager, project sponsor, team members, customers, etc.
• Tasks: Small jobs that lead to the final deliverable.
• Milestone: The end of one project phase, and the beginning of the next.
• Resources: Anything you need to complete the project, such as personnel, supplies, materials, tools, people and more.
• Budget: Estimate of total cost related to completing a project.
• Tracking & Monitoring: Collecting project data, and making sure it reflects the results you planned for.

The project planning process is critical for the success of your project, and as a project manager, you have to think about all the elements that make up your project management plan such as work, time, resources and risks.

Now, we’re going to take you through the main project planning steps :

• Outline the business case
• Meet with key stakeholders
• Define project scope
• Assemble a project team
• Determine a project budget
• Set project goals & objectives
• Outline project deliverables
• Create a project schedule
• Assign tasks to your team members
• Do a risk analysis
• Create your project plan
• Report your progress

By following these project planning steps, you’ll clarify what you need to achieve, work out the processes you need to get there and develop an action plan for how you are going to take this project plan outline forward.

1. Outline the Business Case

If you have a project, there’s a reason for it—that’s your business case . The business case outlines reasons why the project is being initiated, its benefits and the return on investment. If there’s a problem that is being solved, then that problem is outlined here. The business case will be presented to those who make decisions at your organization, explaining what has to be done, and how, along with a feasibility study to assess the practicality of the project. If approved, you have a project.

2. Meet with Key Stakeholders

Every project has stakeholders , those who have a vested interest in the project. From the ones who profit from it, to the project team members who are responsible for its success. Therefore, any project manager must identify who these key stakeholders are during the project planning process, from customers to regulators. Meeting with them is crucial to get a better picture of what the project management plan should include and what is expected from the final deliverable.

3. Define Project Scope

It refers to the work required to accomplish the project objectives and generate the required deliverables. The project scope should be defined and organized by a work breakdown structure (WBS). Therefore, the project scope includes what you must do in the project (deliverables, sub deliverables, work packages, action items ), but also what is nonessential. The latter is important for the project plan, because knowing what isn’t high priority helps to avoid scope creep ; that is, using valuable resources for something that isn’t key to your project’s success.

4. Assemble a Project Team

You’ll need a capable project team to help you create your project plan and execute it successfully. It’s advisable to gather a diverse group of experienced professionals to build a multi-disciplinary team that sees your project management plan from different perspectives.

5. Determine a Project Budget

Once you define your project scope, you’ll have a task list that must be completed to deliver your project successfully. To do so, you’ll need resources such as equipment, materials, human capital, and of course, money. Your project budget will pay for all this. The first step to create a project budget is to estimate the costs associated with each task. Once you have those estimated costs, you can establish a cost baseline , which is the base for your project budget.

6. Set Project Goals & Objectives

Goals and objectives are different things when it comes to planning a project. Goals are the results you want to achieve, and are usually broad. Objectives , on the other hand, are more specific; measurable actions that must be taken to reach your goal. When creating a project plan, the goals and objectives naturally spring from the business case, but in this stage, you go into further detail. In a sense, you’re fine-tuning the goals set forth in the business case and creating tasks that are clearly defined. These goals and objectives are collected in a project charter , which you’ll use throughout the project life cycle.

7. Outline Project Deliverables

A project can have numerous deliverables. A deliverable can be a good, service or result that is needed to complete a task, process, phase, subproject or project. For example, the final deliverable is the reason for the project, and once this deliverable is produced, the project is completed. As defined in the project scope, a project consists of subprojects, phases, work packages, activities and tasks, and each of these components can have a deliverable. The first thing to do is determine what the final deliverable is, and how you will know that the quality meets your stakeholder’s expectations. As for the other deliverables in the project, they must also be identified and someone on the team must be accountable for their successful completion.

8. Create a Project Schedule

The project schedule is what everything hangs on. From your tasks to your budget , it’s all defined by time. Schedules are made up by collecting all the tasks needed to reach your final deliverable, and setting them on a project timeline that ends at your deadline. This can make for an unruly job ahead, which is why schedules are broken into phases, indicated by milestones , which mark the end of one project phase and the beginning of the next.

9. Assign Tasks to Your Team Members

The plan is set, but it still exists in the abstract until you take the tasks on your schedule and begin assigning them out to your team members. Their roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined, so they know what to do. Then, when you assign them tasks from your plan, they should be clear, with directions and any related documentation they will need to execute the tasks.

10. Do a Risk Analysis

Every project has some level of risk . There are several types of risk such as scope risk, technical risks and schedule risk, among others. Even if your project plan is thorough, internal and external factors can impact your project’s time, cost and scope (triple constraint). Therefore, you need to regard your planning as flexible. There are many ways to prepare for risk, such as developing a change management plan, but for now, the most important thing to do is to track your progress throughout the execution phase by using project status reports and/or project planning software to monitor risk.

11. Create your Project Plan

As discussed above, a project management plan is a document that’s made of several elements. Before we get into a detailed explanation of each of them, it’s important to understand that you should include them all to have a solid project plan. The components that you’ll need might vary depending on your project, but in general terms, you’ll need these main documents to create your project management plan:

• Project charter
• Project schedule
• Project budget
• Project scope statement
• Risk management plan
• Change management plan
• Cost management plan
• Resource management plan
• Stakeholder management plan

12. Report Your Progress

Your ultimate goal is to ensure a successful project for your stakeholders. They’re invested, and will not be satisfied twiddling their thumbs without looking at project status reports to track progress. By constructing a work breakdown structure (WBS) during the project planning phase you can break down the project for them so that they understand how your project plan will be executed. Keeping stakeholders informed is important to manage their expectations and ensure that they’re satisfied. Having regular planning meetings where you present progress reports are a great way to show them that everything is moving forward as planned and to field any questions or concerns they might have. Your stakeholder management plan will specify how you’ll engage stakeholders in the project.

Project planning software is a tool that helps to plan, organize and manage the schedule and resources needed to complete a project. ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software that organizes projects from planning to completion. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and follow along to build a thorough project plan that covers every detail.

1. List Your Tasks for the Plan

Tasks are the building blocks of any project and the start of any plan is identifying all the tasks that lead to your final deliverable.

Open the tool to add your tasks on the Gantt chart or one of the other multiple project views. You can import a task list from any spreadsheet or use one of our templates to get started.

2. Add Duration and Costs to Tasks

Every task has an estimated duration, which is the time it will take to complete it. They will also require a certain amount of funding, which needs to be collected to formulate your plan.

Add the start and end dates for each task in the Gantt and they populate a project timeline, so you can see the whole project laid out in one place. There’s also a column for task costs.

3. Link Dependent Tasks

Tasks are not always separate from one another. Often one cannot start or stop until another has started or stopped. That’s called a task dependency and needs to be noted in your plan.

Link dependent tasks by dragging one to the other. A dotted line indicates that they’re linked, so you stay aware of the fact and can avoid bottlenecks later in the project.

4. Set Milestones & Baseline

A milestone indicates the end of one phase and the beginning of another, which helps with tracking and morale. The baseline sets your plan so you can compare it to actual progress.

There is a filter on the Gantt that automatically sets the baseline, so you can use it to track your actual progress against the plan. The baseline can also be locked with a click.

5. Onboard Team & Assign

Getting the team and the tool together is how a project plan becomes actualized. The easier and seamless this transition, the faster you’ll get to work on the project.

Invite your team from the software and it generates an email with a link. Once they follow that link, they’re in and have access to the tools they need to manage their tasks.

6. Monitor Progress & Report to Stakeholders

Keeping track of your progress and then updating stakeholders is both how you stay on track and manage your stakeholders’ expectations.

See progress as it happens on our real-time dashboard, which calculates data and displays it over six project metrics. Reports can be filtered and shared for a deep dive into those numbers.

7. Adjust Plan As Needed

No plan remains the same throughout a project. Things happen and changes are demanded. Therefore, being able to edit your plan easily is key to the project planning process.

Edit your plan on the Gantt by a simple drag and drop. Move the old date to the new date and not only is that task fixed, but any impacted tasks are also updated automatically.

ProjectManager is an award-winning software that helps managers plan and helps teams get organized. Gantt charts control all aspects of your project plan from scheduling to assigning tasks and even monitoring progress. Multiple project views provide transparency into workflow and give everyone the tools they need to be at their best.

Ready to make your plan? Try ProjectManager today with this free 30-day trial.

The project manager is responsible for producing the project plan, and while you can’t make up all the content yourself, you’ll be the one banging the keys to type it all out. Use templates where you can to save time. Download our free project plan template and write your plan in double-quick time!

The purpose of a project management plan is to serve as a guide for the execution and control phases. The project plan provides all the information necessary for the execution phase such as the project’s goals, objectives, scope of work, milestones, risks and resources. Then, this information helps project managers monitor and control the progress of the project.

We plan at the beginning to save time later. A good project plan means that you don’t have to worry about whether the project participants are going to be available on the right dates—because you’ve planned for them to be. You don’t have to worry about how to pay those invoices—you’ve planned your financial process. You don’t have to worry about whether everyone agrees on what a quality outcome looks like—you’ve already planned what quality measures you are going to use.

A good project plan sets out the processes that everyone is expected to follow, so it avoids a lot of headaches later. For example, if you specify that estimates are going to be worked out by subject matter experts based on their judgement, and that’s approved, later no one can complain that they wanted you to use a different estimating technique. They’ve known the deal since the start.

Project plans are also really helpful for monitoring progress. You can go back to them and check what you said you were going to do and how, comparing it to what you are actually doing. This gives you a good reality check and enables you to change course if you need to, bringing the project back on track.

Tools like dashboards can help you make sure that your project is proceeding according to plan. ProjectManager has a real-time dashboard that updates automatically whenever tasks are updated.

The project planning process already discussed only scratches the surface of what is a deep well of practices created to control your project. They start with dialogue — speaking to stakeholders, teams, et al.

The deliverable for your planning phase is a document called the project plan. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Fifth Edition says that the project plan is made up of lots of subsidiary plans. These include:

• A project scope statement to define all the tasks and deliverables that are needed to complete the project
• A risk management plan for dealing with project risk including the processes for logging and tracking risks
• A change management plan to manage any changes that will be made to the project plan
• A cost management plan for managing costs and the budgeting elements of the project including any procurements or supplier engagements you might have
• A resource management plan for managing the material resources such as equipment and the human resources on the team both in terms of availability and skills
• A stakeholder management plan setting out who is going to receive messages about the project, when and in what format
• A quality plan that specifies the quality targets for the project

That’s a lot of documentation.

In reality, it’s rare that you’ll produce these as individual documents. What you need is a project plan that talks about the important elements of each of these. There’s no point creating a big document that sets out exactly how your business works anyway. If you already have a structured risk management process , then don’t waste time writing it all down again in your project plan.

Your project management plan needs to include enough information to make sure that you know exactly what processes and procedures need to be followed and who needs to be involved. Get your project plan approved by your stakeholders, your project sponsor and your team so there are no surprises later. As explained above, project planning charts and techniques such as Gantt charts, CPM, WBS or PERT can help you create your project plan.

This is hard to answer. It’s going to take longer to plan the moon landing than a new dating app.

The best way to estimate how long your project planning phase will take is to look at similar projects that have happened before, and see how long it took them to plan. Talk to the project manager as well, if you can, because they’ll have a view on whether that length of time was enough or not!

It’s easy to see how long other projects took if you have a project management tool that archives your old project schedules and makes the data available to everyone who needs it. You can then search for similar projects and study their schedules in detail.

A project plan is all about working out what to do and how to do it, so you need to get a lot of people involved. There are several good tools and project planning techniques for getting information from other people including:

• One-to-one meetings or interviews
• Surveys or customer focus groups to gather and validate requirements.

You should also arm yourself with a task management tool , like a list or a kanban board. They are incredibly useful for noting down important things that should be in your project plan. Kanban board software can help structure your plan by writing down the key headings and then moving them around as required until you have a flow that looks right.

Finally, you’ll need an online project management system to store your project management plan in. Make sure that everyone in the team can access the latest version of the project plan.

Your project plan is not a document written in stone. You should be referring back to it and making changes to it as often as you need to. Parts of it, like your project schedule, will change almost daily. Other parts, like your procurement plans and cost management processes, won’t change at all during the life of your project.

The important thing to remember is that if your project management plan isn’t working for you, think about what you can do to change it. It’s there to guide your project management, not restrict you from doing the right thing. If you need to review how you manage work and project resources, then go back and review it. Make the changes you need, get the plan approved again and share it with the team.

How To Make a Project Plan When You Don’t Have All the Answers

Yes, this happens–most of the time! It’s rare to have all the information at the beginning of a project. Most managers want you to dive in and get started, but you might not have the luxury of knowing all the details.

That’s OK; we have techniques to help deal with uncertainty.

First is the project assumption. You use these to put caveats on your plan and to document the things that you assume to be true at this point in time. For example:

• We assume that the resources will be available.
• We assume that the required funding is available.
• We assume that the colors requested will be in line with the company brand and that Marketing sign off is not required.

You get the picture. Then, if the design team comes back and says that they want the product to be a totally new palette of colors and that Marketing has to approve that, you are justified in saying that you’ll have to change the timescales on the schedule to make that possible.

You planned based on an assumption (that everyone agreed to, because you got the document approved) and that assumption turned out not to be true.

Next Steps for Project Planning

The most important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t rush the project planning process. Done properly, project planning takes time. And it’s worth doing it properly because if you don’t, we guarantee that you will hit problems later on as people won’t understand what they are supposed to do and why.

Great planning sets you up for success. It gives you the confidence of knowing that you’ve got all your processes, tools and systems in place to deliver the perfect result.

Now that you’ve learned all about project planning, it’s time to take action. Sign up for a free 30-day trial of ProjectManager and start planning your project today!

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Project Planning Resources

• Best Project Planner Tools: Apps, Software & Templates
• Best Project Planning Software of 2024 (Free & Paid)
• 25 of the Best Planning Quotes
• 3 Best Planner Apps for Mac in 2024
• 3 Best Project Management Charts for Project Planning
• Project Management Trends
• How to Create a Project Roadmap (Example Included)
• What Is Aggregate Planning? Strategies & Tips
• What Is Rolling Wave Planning?
• How to Create a Project Execution Plan (PEP) – Free Template Included
• Sample Project Plan For Your Next Project
• Operational Planning: How to Make an Operations Plan
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• What is project planning? (Plus, 7 ste ...

What is project planning? (Plus, 7 steps to write a successful project plan)

Organize your projects with project plans to keep things on track—before you even start. A project plan houses all the necessary details of your project, such as goals, tasks, scope, deadlines, and deliverables. This shows stakeholders a clear roadmap of your project, ensures you have the resources for it, and holds everyone accountable from the start. In this article, we teach you the seven steps to create your own project plan.

Project plans are essential to keeping your project organized and on track. A great project plan will help you kick off your work with all the necessary pieces—from goals and budgets to milestones and communication plans—in one place. Save yourself time (and a few headaches) by creating a work plan that will make your project a success.

What is a project planning?

Project planning is the second stage in the project management process, following project initiation and preceding project execution. During the project planning stage, the project manager creates a project plan, which maps out project requirements. The project planning phase typically includes setting project goals, designating project resources, and mapping out the project schedule.

What is a project plan?

Get started with a free template in asana.

Kick off work the right way, every time. Use templates to standardize and scale business processes across your organization.

If you're still unsure about what a project plan is, here's how it differs from other project elements:

Project plan vs. work plan: A project plan and a work plan are the same thing. Different teams or departments might prefer one term or another—but they both ultimately describe the same thing: a list of big-picture action steps you need to take to hit your  project objectives .

Project plan vs. project charter: A project charter is an outline of your project. Mostly, you use project charters to get signoff from key stakeholders before you start. Which means your project charter comes before your project plan. A project charter is an outline of a simple project plan—it should only include your project objectives, scope, and responsibilities. Then, once your charter has been approved, you can create a project plan to provide a more in-depth blueprint of the key elements of your project.

Project plan vs. project scope: Your project scope defines the size and boundaries of your project. As part of your project plan, you should outline and share the scope of your project with all project stakeholders. If you’re ever worried about scope creep , you can refer back to your pre-defined scope within your project plan to get back on track.

Project plan vs. agile project: Agile project management is a framework to help teams break work into iterative, collaborative components . Agile frameworks are often run in conjunction with scrum and sprint methodologies. Like any project, an Agile project team can benefit from having a project plan in place before getting started with their work.

Project plan vs. work breakdown structure: Similar to a project plan, your work breakdown structure (WBS) helps you with project execution. While the project plan focuses on every aspect of your project, the WBS is focused on deliverables—breaking them down into sub-deliverables and project tasks. This helps you visualize the whole project in simple steps. Because it’s a visual format, your WBS is best viewed as a Gantt chart (or timeline), Kanban board , or calendar—especially if you’re using project management software .

Why are project plans important?

Project plans set the stage for the entire project. Without one, you’re missing a critical step in the overall project management process . When you launch into a project without defined goals or objectives, it can lead to disorganized work, frustration, and even scope creep. A clear, written project management plan provides a baseline direction to all stakeholders, while also keeping everyone accountable. It confirms that you have the resources you need for the project before it actually begins.

A project plan also allows you, as the person in charge of leading execution, to forecast any potential challenges you could run into while the project is still in the planning stages. That way, you can ensure the project will be achievable—or course-correct if necessary. According to a study conducted by the  Project Management Institute , there is a strong correlation between project planning and project success—the better your plan, the better your outcome. So, conquering the planning phase also makes for better project efficiency and results.

7 steps to write a project plan to keep you on track

To create a clear project management plan, you need a way to track all of your moving parts . No matter what type of project you’re planning, every work plan should have:

Goals and project objectives

Success metrics

Stakeholders and roles

Scope and budget

Milestones , deliverables , and project dependencies

Timeline and schedule

Communication plan.

Not sure what each of these mean or should look like? Let’s dive into the details:

Step 1: Define your goals and objectives

You’re working on this project plan for a reason—likely to get you, your team, or your company to an end goal. But how will you know if you’ve reached that goal if you have no way of measuring success?

Every successful project plan should have a clear, desired outcome. Identifying your goals provides a rationale for your project plan. It also keeps everyone on the same page and focused on the results they want to achieve. Moreover, research shows that employees who know how their work is contributing to company objectives are 2X as motivated . Yet only 26% of employees have that clarity. That’s because most goal-setting happens separate from the actual work. By defining your goals within your work plan, you can connect the work your team is doing directly to the project objectives in real-time.

What's the difference between project goals and project objectives?

In general, your project goals should be higher-level than your project objectives. Your project goals should be SMART goals that help you measure project success and show how your project aligns with business objectives . The purpose of drafting project objectives, on the other hand, is to focus on the actual, specific deliverables you're going to achieve at the end of your project. Your project plan provides the direction your team needs to hit your goals, so you can create a workflow that hits project objectives.

Your project  plan  provides the direction your team needs to hit your goals, by way of your project objectives. By incorporating your goals directly into your planning documentation, you can keep your project’s North Star on hand. When you’re defining your project scope, or outlining your project schedule, check back on your goals to make sure that work is in favor of your main objectives.

Step 2: Set success metrics

Once you’ve defined your goals, make sure they’re measurable by setting key success metrics. While your goal serves as the intended result, you need success metrics to let you know whether or not you’re performing on track to achieve that result. The best way to do that is to set  SMART goals . With SMART goals, you can make sure your success metrics are clear and measurable, so you can look back at the end of your project and easily tell if you hit them or not.

For example, a goal for an event might be to host an annual 3-day conference for SEO professionals on June 22nd. A success metric for that goal might be having at least 1,000 people attend your conference. It’s both clear and measurable.

Step 3: Clarify stakeholders and roles

Running a project usually means getting  collaborators  involved in the execution of it. In your project management plan, outline which team members will be a part of the project and what each person’s role will be. This will help you decide who is responsible for each task (something we’ll get to shortly) and let stakeholders know how you expect them to be involved.

During this process, make sure to define the various roles and responsibilities your stakeholders might have. For example, who is directly responsible for the project’s success? How is your project team structured (i.e. do you have a project manager, a project sponsor , etc.)? Are there any approvers that should be involved before anything is finalized? What cross-functional stakeholders should be included in the project plan? Are there any  risk management factors  you need to include?

Consider using a system, such as a  RACI chart , to help determine who is driving the project forward, who will approve decisions, who will contribute to the project, and who needs to remain informed as the project progresses.

Then, once you’ve outlined all of your roles and stakeholders, make sure to include that documentation in your project plan. Once you finalize your plan, your work plan will become your cross-functional source of truth.

Step 4: Set your budget

Running a project usually costs money. Whether it’s hiring freelancers for content writing or a catering company for an event, you’ll probably be spending some cash.

Since you’ve already defined your goals and stakeholders as part of your project plan, use that information to establish your budget. For example, if this is a cross-functional project involving multiple departments, will the departments be splitting the project cost? If you have a specific goal metric like event attendees or new users, does your proposed budget support that endeavor?

By establishing your project budget during the project planning phase (and before the spending begins), you can get approval, more easily track progress, and make smart, economical decisions during the implementation phase of your project. Knowing your budget beforehand helps you with resource management , ensuring that you stay within the initial financial scope of the project. Planning helps you determine what parts of your project will cost what—leaving no room for surprises later on.

Step 5: Align on milestones, deliverables, and project dependencies

An important part of planning your project is setting milestones, or specific objectives that represent an achievement. Milestones don’t require a start and end date, but hitting one marks a significant accomplishment during your project. They are used to measure progress. For example, let’s say you’re working to develop a  new product for your company . Setting a milestone on your project timeline for when the prototype is finalized will help you measure the progress you’ve made so far.

A project deliverable , on the other hand, is what is actually produced once you meet a milestone. In our product development example, we hit a milestone when we produced the deliverable, which was the prototype. You can also use project dependencies —tasks that you can’t start until others are finished. Dependencies ensure that work only starts once it’s ready. Continuing the example, you can create a project dependency to require approval from the project lead before prototype testing begins.  

If you’re using our free project plan template , you can easily organize your project around deliverables, dependencies, and milestones. That way, everyone on the team has clear visibility into the work within your project scope, and the milestones your team will be working towards.

Step 6: Outline your timeline and schedule

In order to achieve your project goals, you and your stakeholders need clarity on your overall project timeline and schedule. Aligning on the time frame you have can help you better prioritize during strategic planning sessions.

Not all projects will have clear-cut timelines. If you're working on a large project with a few unknown dates, consider creating a  project roadmap  instead of a full-blown project timeline. That way, you can clarify the order of operations of various tasks without necessarily establishing exact dates.

Once you’ve covered the high-level responsibilities, it’s time to focus some energy on the details. In your  work plan template , start by breaking your project into tasks, ensuring no part of the process is skipped. Bigger tasks can even be broken down into smaller subtasks, making them more manageable.

Then, take each task and subtask, and assign it a start date and end date. You’ll begin to visually see everything come together in a  cohesive project timeline . Be sure to add stakeholders, mapping out who is doing what by when.

Step 7: Share your communication plan

We’ve established that most projects include multiple stakeholders. That means communication styles will vary among them. You have an opportunity to set your expectations up front for this particular project in your project plan. Having a communication plan is essential for making sure everyone understands what’s happening, how the project is progressing, and what’s going on next. And in case a roadblock comes up, you’ll already have a clear communication system in place.

As you’re developing your communication plan, consider the following questions:

How many project-related meetings do you need to have? What are their goals?

How will you manage project status updates ? Where will you share them?

What tool will you use to manage the project and communicate progress and updates?

Like the other elements of your project plan, make sure your communication plan is easily accessible within your project plan. Stakeholders and cross-functional collaborators should be able to easily find these guidelines during the planning and execution phases of your project. Using project planning tools or task management software that integrates with apps like Slack and Gmail can ensure all your communication happens in one easily accessible place. 

Example project plan

Next, to help you understand what your project management plan should look like, here are two example plans for marketing and design projects that will guide you during your own project planning.

Project plan example: annual content calendar

Let’s say you’re the Content Lead for your company, and it’s your responsibility to create and deliver on a content marketing calendar for all the content that will be published next year. You know your first step is to build your work plan. Here’s what it might look like:

Goals and success metrics

You establish that your goal for creating and executing against your content calendar is to increase engagement by 10%. Your success metrics are the open rate and click through rate on emails, your company’s social media followers, and how your pieces of content rank on search engines.

Stakeholders and each person’s role

There will be five people involved in this project.

You, Content Lead: Develop and maintain the calendar

Brandon and Jamie, Writers: Provide outlines and copy for each piece of content

Nate, Editor: Edit and give feedback on content

Paula, Producer: Publish the content once it’s written and edited

Your budget for the project plan and a year’s worth of content is $50,000.

Milestones and deliverables

Your first milestone is to finish the content calendar, which shows all topics for the year. The deliverable is a sharable version of the calendar. Both the milestone and the deliverables should be clearly marked on your project schedule.

You’ve determined that your schedule for your content calendar project plan will go as follows:

October 15 - November 1: The research phase to find ideas for topics for content

November 2 - November 30: Establish the topics you’ll write about

December 1 - January 1: Build the calendar

January 1 - December 31: Content will be written by Brandon and Jamie, and edited by Nate, throughout the year

January 16 - December 31: Paula will begin publishing and continue to do so on a rolling basis throughout the year.

You’ll have a kick-off meeting and then monthly update meetings as part of your communication plan. Weekly status updates will be sent on Friday afternoons. All project-related communication will occur within a  project management tool .

How ClassPass manages project plans from start to finish

Kerry Hoffman, Senior Project Manager of Marketing Operations at  ClassPass , oversees all marketing projects undertaken by the creative, growth, and content teams. Here are her top three strategies for managing project plans:

Identify stakeholders up front: No matter the size of the project, it’s critical to know who the stakeholders are and their role in the project so you ensure you involve the right people at each stage. This will also make the review and approval process clear before the team gets to work.

Agree on how you want to communicate about your project: Establish where and when communication should take place for your project to ensure that key information is captured in the right place so everyone stays aligned.

Be adaptable and learn other people’s working styles: Projects don’t always go according to plan, but by implementing proper integration management you can keep projects running smoothly. Also, find out how project members like to work so you take that into account as you create your plan. It will help things run smoother once you begin executing.

Write your next project plan like a pro

Congratulations—you’re officially a work planning pro. With a few steps, a little bit of time, and a whole lot of organization, you’ve successfully written a project plan.

Keep yourself and your team on track, and address challenges early by using project planning software like Asana . Work through each of the steps of your project plan with confidence, and streamline your communications with the team.

Related resources

How to use a feasibility study in project management

How to track utilization rate and drive team profitability

How to accomplish big things with long-term goals

Smooth product launches are simpler than you think

Project Management Essay

Why study project management? This essay gives an answer to the question. It explains the importance and benefits of planning as a business process and a research topic. Write an A+ essay on product management with this example!

Introduction

Project management phases.

• Strategic Management

Project management is a discipline of planning, controlling, securing and organizing resources to attain specific objectives. A project can be perceived as an impermanent endeavour with a defined starting and end, undertaken to convene unique objectives and goals, normally to bring about useful change.

The impermanent nature of projects differs from business to business. In some cases it can be permanent, or semi permanent, repetitive functional actions to produce services or products. “A project is a unique endeavour to produce a set of deliverables within clearly specified time, cost and quality constraints” (Westland 2).

All projects can be thought of as a series of phases that have specific beginnings and defined endpoints. Project management life cycle has mostly four phases namely project initiation, project planning, project execution and project closure. All of the phases of the project life cycle have lot of activities to play. These are described in the following segment.

Project Initiation:

This is the initial phase of the project life cycle, which, in turn, has a group of activities which are to be carried out prior to the planning stage. In this phase, the scope and purpose for initiating it and the solution to be found are described.

Project Planning:

In the project planning step, all the project management planning tasks, which are required to complete the project on time and within budget are explained.

Project Execution:

The next phase of project life cycle is project execution. In this phase, the physical deliverables are presented for the consumer. It is the most significant phase in the project life cycle and it utilizes a set of energy and resources.

Project Closure:

Project closure is the final phase of the project life cycle, which properly concludes the project and reports the whole achievement in terms of pre-defined objectives.

The job of the Project Manager is to prepare, execute and decide projects according to the given parameters and within financial plan. This includes obtaining resources and managing the plans of group and third-party consultants so as to distribute projects according to the plan.

The Project Manager will also describe the project’s aim and manage quality control all through its life cycle. McGraw-Hill and Irwin, in their book, “Project Management: The Managerial Process,” claim that “Project Management strikes a balance between the technical and human aspects of managing projects. It is suitable for a course in project management and for professionals who seek a project management handbook” (Gray & Larson).

The Role of Strategic Management in a Project

Strategic Management method contains the process of selecting, directing and calculating project outcomes to ensure best value for a business. Every project undertaken by a business has to meet certain criteria set up by the company’s management. This is intended to ensure alignment with the planned vision of the business.

The four important Strategic Management Processes are: ensure that every project is strategically associated, make a Project Management centred culture, apply Strategic Project Management best practices and to evolve a strategic project measurement scheme.

Project Scope Management, on the other hand, contains the procedures necessary to ensure that the project encompasses all the work required, but only the works necessary to complete the project effectively. Managing the project scope mainly concerns with controlling and defining what is and is not contained in the project.

Project management must be viewed as a technique that enables the organisations to successfully execute selected projects efficiently and effectively. However, the use of this technique alone does not automatically guarantee project achievement.

Gray, Clifford F. & Larson, Erik W. Project Management . McGraw-Hill Publishing Limited. 2000. Web.

Westland, Jason. The Project Management Life Cycle: A Complete Step-by-Step Methodology for Initiating, Planning, Executing & Closing a Project Successfully . Kogan Page Limited. 2006. Web.

Project Management Essay FAQ

• Why is project management important? Project management aims to plan and lead a project to successfully complete it. It involves several phases, each of which brings direction to a project, be it in the sphere of business, charity, or art.
• Why study project management? Project management is an exciting job that might lead to a fulfilling career in many spheres. Project management skills that imply the ability to successfully lead a project from its beginning to the conclusion, are always in demand in any company.
• What is scope in project management? Project scope means a common understanding between the project stakeholders about its boundaries, goals, and essential milestones. It is crucial to define the project scope and its key elements before you start working.
• What is crashing in project management? Crashing is a method in project management used to speed up the project’s timeline without changing its overall scope. Project crashing implies adding more resources to reach the highest possible efficiency level.
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, October 31). Project Management Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/project-management-4/

"Project Management Essay." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/project-management-4/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Project Management Essay'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Project Management Essay." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/project-management-4/.

1. IvyPanda . "Project Management Essay." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/project-management-4/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Project Management Essay." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/project-management-4/.

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How to Create a Winning Project Plan

By Kate Eby | May 25, 2022

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Creating a project plan can be overwhelming, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. We provide the basics steps for how to write a project plan.

In this article, you’ll learn how to write a project plan . You’ll find helpful tips and a downloadable template starter kit so that you don’t have to worry about formatting and can hit the ground running.

What Is a Project Plan?

A project plan is a document that outlines what’s needed to complete a project. This can cover a project scope overview, a budget breakdown, a detailed schedule of deliverables, and a rundown  of potential risks and stakeholders.

A project plan contains much of the same information as a project charter , but includes finalized details and a more specific schedule and budget. Think of a project charter   as the blueprint for your project plan; the charter lays out your intent before the project begins. A project plan maps out the processes necessary to complete it. Your project plan should always be up to date and serve as a source of truth for a project’s status.

How to Write a Project Plan

Writing a project plan starts with finalizing your project information. Create an overview and a scope statement, determine a deliverables schedule, and define a budget. Include a risk management strategy, a communication plan, and any other documents your project needs.

Project planning is fundamentally about balancing the goals, schedule, and costs in a way that demonstrates that you can control the project’s scope. You may consider adopting the use of project planning templates to maintain consistency between projects and build on them over time. 

A project plan also includes all the supporting documents that walk your stakeholders, clients, and team through the project.

1. Write a Project Overview

The overview is a short introduction to the project, not exceeding a page or so in length. Summarize the high-level details, covering project goals, deliverables, success measurements, and dependencies. Include the project’s sponsors and their titles, and name the project. 

Add links to project portals or dashboards to give stakeholders a place to conveniently check on status and to access more detailed documents in the project plan.

Download Project Overview Statement Template Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Use this template to provide a high-level summary of a project’s goals, scope, risks, schedule, budget, and success metrics. Add links to your company’s risk management plan , a detailed budget, and your project schedule. This template is fully customizable, so you can add or remove text to include only the information you need.

2. Define the Project’s Scope

Outlining your project’s scope is important for controlling scope creep . Define the project’s deliverables and goals. It is just as crucial to highlight what is within a project’s scope as what is outside of it. 

A project’s scope may shift, but consider the changes against the project as a whole and update them in the project plan when approved.

3. Create a Project Schedule

The project schedule should be visual and easy to read, showing how each task contributes to the project’s main goal. Note the people and resources needed for each task and subtask, how long each will take, and the dependencies between them. 

Depending on your project management strategy, you might consider using Gantt charts , Kanban boards , or shared calendars to create the schedule. Whatever you choose, ensure that your project status is updated on the schedule and that tasks are marked when started, completed, or falling behind.

Leave room in your schedule for roadblocks, emergencies, and tasks that may take more time. Consult with your team about how long each task has required in the past and use their feedback to inform the schedule. Create the schedule based on how long the work takes, not how long you wish it would take.

Download Project Schedule Template Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

Use this customizable project schedule template to create a visual map of your project’s tasks and phases. The template will use any dates you add to the matrix to create a Gantt chart. You also have space for project notes.

4. Finalize the Project Budget

Your project plan should have the approved spending plan or time-phased budget that lists all costs by time period. Make sure to itemize the budget and keep it as close to reality as possible. Include room in the budget for unforeseen and emergency expenditures, and account for any additional resources you may need. Plan to update it immediately when emergencies arise or when tasks cost more. It is important to know ahead of time what kind of costs need executive approval and to make a plan to get that approval ahead of time.

Download Project Budget Template Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets

Use this customizable project budget template to create a detailed, line-item budget for the project. Add labor and materials rates or the fixed cost for each task in your project. The template will automatically calculate the costs and compare your actual budget to your estimates, so it’s easy to tell if you’re going over.

5. Identify a Risk Management Strategy

Make a list of the specific risks your project faces, and outline a strategy to manage them . If your company already has a general risk management plan in place, it may not be necessary to reproduce it in your project plan as long as you highlight the individual risks that apply to your project. Talk to other project managers and your team about the obstacles they faced, and ask for tips for addressing similar challenges.

6. Write a Communication Plan

Create a communication plan to establish how and when you’ll share updates with stakeholders. The plan will list your project’s key stakeholders and team members, as well as their contact information and when they should receive project updates. You can use this document to outline the kinds of updates each stakeholder wishes to receive, and map out a schedule for planned meetings and reports.

Download Project Communication Plan Template Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Google Docs

Download this project communication plan template to document your key stakeholders’ contact details and their preferred contact style and frequency. Input your communication goals and customize the plan to include scheduled meetings, progress reports, and status reports.

7. Finalize All Documents and Get Sponsor Approval

The final project plan should include all of the information above and any additional documents that might be relevant to your particular project. 

Additional elements you might include in a project plan include the following:

• A link to your project charter
• A quality assurance plan
• Your work breakdown structure
• Your project management methodology or framework
• Links and access to necessary permits and certifications

Present the final plan to your sponsor and get their approval. If they request any changes, take this opportunity to make them.

8. Save and Share Your Plan

Once you’ve approved your project plan, save it in a centralized, easily accessible location, and share it with project stakeholders and your team. Ensure that all schedule and budget documents are updated regularly so that the project plan always accurately reflects your project’s status. Any critical changes to the plan itself should only be adjusted through the approved change control and management process.

Tips for Writing a Good Project Plan

Writing a good project plan begins with good organization. Use templates and software to keep your plan up to date and accessible. 

Follow these tips for writing a good project plan:

• Write Clearly: Don’t complicate the plan with details that your audience already knows, such as your organization’s existing risk management or change control policies . Provide the information that your readers need to know about the specific project, not the entire company.
• Use Formatting and Be Specific: Some people will skim the plan, while others will pore over every detail. To make it consumable for all, use visual charts for schedules and budgets, bullet points for lists, and bold fonts to highlight important details. The skimmers will get the high-level information they need, and the detail-oriented will be able to drill down into the information they want.
• Keep It Updated: Even though the project plan contains a series of documents, don’t let it become something that stakeholders ignore or forget because it no longer has relevant information. Use an updated project plan to maintain support and enthusiasm for the work ahead. 
• Use Your Project Charter: The project charter is the basis for your project plan. A detailed project charter includes similar information. Build off of the speculative schedules and budgets you already created.
• Use Templates and Software: Using project plan templates for your project plan documents is a great way to ensure consistency between teams and projects. Many project management software solutions also provide methods for creating, organizing, and sharing project plan information as well.
• Involve Your Team: Make sure to talk with your team before the project starts. They are the people who ensure the project succeeds, so get their input and buy-in during the planning process. They will likely have insight that you do not, and they will ask questions that will surface important details. Involving your team in the planning process also builds trust, as they feel closer to the project and more invested in its success.

Project Plan Starter Kit

Download Project Plan Starter Kit

We’ve collected the templates above to create a project plan starter kit that makes it easy to write your own project plan. In this kit, you’ll find customizable templates to create a project overview, a project budget, a detailed schedule, and a communication plan. Together, these documents form the foundation of a solid project plan and will help get your project off the ground.

Use Smartsheet Project Management Tools to Create and Implement Your Project Plan

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

Project Planning Essays

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105 Project Planning Example Essays

🔝 top 10 project planning example essays, ❓ what is project planning, ✨ project planning elements, 🧑‍💻 project plan process, 📝 project planning research paper examples, 💡 essay ideas on project planning, 👍 good project planning essay examples to write about, 🎓 simple research paper examples with project planning.

Do you want to improve your knowledge of business management? There are many interesting topics, one of which is business project planning. It’s an essential and valuable concept for a business known to any successful entrepreneur. In this article, we’ve provided all the information about project planning and some great essay examples you can use for your studies.

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Project planning is a discipline that aims to explain how to finish a project in a specific amount of time . It also includes detailed information about required stages and resources . The project plan acts as a road map for the whole project management procedure.

Why Is Project Planning Important?

The likelihood of client pleasure and confidence in the company for future investments will improve as the company successfully completes project planning. It is the most crucial action in lowering risk and project failures . Project planning can significantly assist in materializing abstract ideas into reality.

It is vital for project managers to have strict instructions on how their project will be realized. Understanding each project planning element gives project managers a better view of the situation . It allows them fully comprehend the actions they must complete to launch the project. Project planning is based on the following elements:

Objects Definition

In order to start the project, all acting managers must understand their goal and the main purpose of their project. The definition stage must outline the project’s components, primary goal, intended outcomes , and closing milestones.

Scope Explanation

The scope explanation specifies the initiative that will attempt to tackle the problems and determines the people that will be working on them.

Tasks Scheduling

A project manager is responsible for assessing the needs of all project participants and identifying the conditions necessary to meet those demands. Every project stage has a start date , a finish date , and an estimation of how long it will take to complete each step. This information should be provided to each participant of the project’s realization.

Project Outcomes

This element of project planning should explain what the company will earn after finishing its project, its results, and the final indicators.

Although creating a project plan requires some initial labor, the effort will be worthwhile in the long run.

Any project plan’s fundamental structure may be summed up in these five steps :

1. Defining Stakeholders and Their Roles

The manager must be able to identify the following:

• people involved in the project;
• project’s scope ;
• quality baseline;
• deliverables;
• milestone steps;
• success criteria.

The manager also creates a project charter , the work breakdown structure, and the statement of work.

2. Identifying Project Risks

At this step, managers will identify all possible risks and assign deliverables to them. They will also be required to keep an eye on the risks that will appear after the project has already been ended.

3. Providing Communications Updates

This step requires creating a communication strategy, a project timetable, a budget , and other guiding elements. All parties involved in the project should be informed of the plan, and communications updates should be given as frequently, and in the manner, they’re anticipated.

4. Identifying Project Resources

Here managers are obliged to make a list of all the resources required for the project, such as personnel , tools , and supplies . Then they will have to calculate their cost for the project’s realization.

5. Revising

After the project plan is completed, managers must once again revise all previous steps to ensure everything has been defined correctly and nothing has changed in their plans. Performance needs to be assessed once the project is finished so that lessons can be learned and areas for improvement can be found.

Now you know what project planning is, and you’re ready to review this topic in any of your studies as well as use it yourself if you decide to become an entrepreneur. Be sure to check the essay examples we’ve collected for you! They will be a great help and provide a major boost to your inspiration and knowledge!

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What is Project Planning? Steps, Process, Importance, Tools

Home Blog Project Management What is Project Planning? Steps, Process, Importance, Tools

There is a golden adage that says - "you don't plan to fail but you fail to plan"; well, it holds pretty much the same importance in project management as it does in all aspects of life. Project planning is quintessential to the project and projects that are not planned well result in unwanted overheads or at times sunk costs which result in pressures on the execution of the project and often escalate situations out of control for the project manager. 

What is Project Planning in Project Management?   

Project planning or project management planning is the foundation and most important stage of the project management life-cycle. The project planning activity sets the project foundations by base-lining the project scope, schedule, quality standards, objectives, and goals. Planning typically involves creating a document with all project information that comprises the respective tasks, assignee's, and areas of responsibility.

A project plan usually includes management plans for all areas of the project viz - integration, scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communication, risk, procurement, and stakeholders. Creating a consolidated project plan can be done manually or with the help of automated project management software such as Agile Central, Jira, Asana, Wrike, nTask, etc. Creating a comprehensive project plan and envisioning a concrete project execution strategy can streamline and strengthen the project process and ensure successful project execution and delivery. 

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Why is Project Planning Important?   

In a formal project management life cycle, projects begin with the project charter providing authority to the project manager to utilize organizational resources and assets for the project. A lot of novice professionals may at this point question - what is project planning & why is it important? Here is where the importance of the project planning phase comes into the picture as planning goes a few steps ahead and guides the project manager in strategising: 

• How the project will move ahead i.e. how to plan a project’s activities,
• What kind of resources will be engaged at what duration,
• How unforeseen situations will be handled, and finally,
• What will be the baselines against which progress will be measured and reported 

The planning process in project management forms the basis of the next project phases i.e. execution, monitoring & controlling closure, and also stipulates how the project team will pursue the goals outlined in the business case and project charter. Project planning in project management is also important from a cost-saving perspective as any project can easily run into unknowns, environmental challenges, and scope creep that haunt the completion and delivery of any/all types of projects. It is only effective project planning that provides the required structure and foresight, thereby helping eliminate wasteful tasks and patterns to optimize efficiency and execution. 

Types of Project Planning   

Project planning can be of various types depending on the objective, scope, and purview of the activity in consideration. The 3 broad categories of planning include: 

• Vertical Planning  - involves creating a detailed hourly plan to roll up to the day and is also known as daily planning as it is done on that particular day; 
• Horizontal Planning - involves creating a plan for the day as a whole instead of focusing on every hour and can be done weekly or monthly as well; 
• Joint Planning - as the name suggests, involves both horizontal and vertical planning i.e. planning the tasks for the day as well as the week to have a bird's eye view and also a detailed plan at the same time. Joint planning requires careful consideration of the task duration and order of items, to sequence activities and complete them. 

What are the Components of a Project Plan?   

• Scope - Project scope includes the stakeholder requirements, deliverables, and goals that attribute to the project's success and completion. 
• Budget - Budget allocations define which resources will be aligned to the particular project activities based on their priority and requirements. Budget planning involves the allocation of people, processes, and technology per project needs.
• Timeline - Project planning involves defining timelines to the scope and aligning project tasks and activities, creating schedules with milestones, and tracking progress. 

Together, these 3 components viz, scope, budget, and timeline determine what the project will accomplish, how much will be spent on the project and when will the project be delivered and completed and form the foundation for an effective project planning process. 

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Project Management Planning Techniques   

Project management planning techniques are what put the whole project planning process in project management into real and practical action. They help formulate the roadmap with milestones, deliverables, and task-level action plan to create the project deliverables and complete the project successfully. While there may be many different techniques that project managers may use, each of them has its impact on the project outcomes and may be used at different times during the project. 

1.  SMART Goals 

Goal setting is the first step in the project planning methodology and entails creating an outline of the project outcome to define what steps need to be completed and what activities need to be performed to achieve the desired outcome. In this process, the goals that are defined should have the following attributes: 

• Specific - should be clear and concise to be achieved 
• Measurable - should be quantifiable and not open to interpretation 
• Attainable - should be realistic and feasible 
• Relevant - should align with the overall business objectives 
• Time-bound - should have a deadline or time-limit

2. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 

WBS is what defines how the overall project goals will be broken down into unit-level tasks/activities that will help create project deliverables to achieve project outcomes. It is essentially a visual representation of project tasks and activities presented in a hierarchical format. Creating a WBS involves breaking up high-level goal statements into doable tasks and activities to their respective unit level and allocating resources to the WBS items to create the outlined deliverables. There is also a WBS dictionary that augments the definition, break-up, and scope of work packages i.e. items in the WBS chart.

3. Cost Breakdown Structure 

This is an extension of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and is a hierarchical representation of costs at various levels of the WBS. CBS represents the cost of components in the WBS. It is a useful tool for structuring project financial management and the application of cost controls to track and manage project costs. 

4. Action Priority Matrix 

This is a prioritization tool that determines the sequence of tasks to balance between time and resources to optimize efficiencies. An action priority matrix is most useful in critical situations or time-crunch scenarios in the project. It has 4 quadrants - resulting in 4 possibilities, that are: 

• Quick Wins/urgent
• Major projects/not urgent 
• Fill-ins/delegate 
• Hard slogs/Postpone or ignore 

5. Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA）  

This is an important project scheduling and control tool which helps project teams determine whether the project is ahead of schedule or behind schedule and applies techniques or corrective actions to avoid variance. MTA involves creating a chart with the planning line vs the implementation line along with the respective milestones to represent trends and analyze the same. With the help of MTA, project managers can easily identify the bottlenecks and any constraints that may derail the project from its planned course of action. Want to get a project management certification? Understand the nitty-gritties of the real world project management life cycle easily in our PRINCE2 course ! 

10 Steps to Successful Project Planning   

Step 1: Define stakeholders  

Identifying and defining stakeholders is the first step to successful project planning as any stakeholder identified late will cause scope-creep or unwarranted changes which may be too expensive for the project. 

Step 2:  Define roles & responsibilities  

Outlining clear roles and responsibilities is an important next step; not all stakeholders will have the same level of interest in the project and hence it is important to establish the responsibility, accountability, and role expectations in the project.

Step 3:  Introduce stakeholders   

Bringing the stakeholders together and introducing them to the project as well as each other in a formal setup helps build trust and alignment with the overall project and organizational goals. This step helps ensure everyone's voices are heard and also secures commitment from stakeholders for the project. 

Step 4:  Set goals  

Goal setting is the key step in planning, without which it will be impossible to assess project success and mark the project closed upon completion i.e. meeting the defined goals. 

Step 5:  Prioritize tasks   

Task prioritization is the key to understanding what kind of resources will be aligned to the project at what durations. Not having a prioritized list of tasks will only confuse overlapping activities and also cost overruns in the project execution. 

Step 6:  Create a schedule   

Once the goals are established and prioritized, creating a roadmap with the project milestones helps understand dependencies, constraints, and sequencing of activities for the project. Project scheduling helps outline which activities will be completed in what order, how and when they will start, what will be their outcomes and how will the project manager track and measure progress. 

Step 7:  Assess risks   

Risks are uncertain events that may affect the project and planning involves understanding the risk and assessing its probability i.e. the chance of occurrence as well as its impact i.e. the effect on the project 

Step 8:  Communicate   

Communication plays a key role in project management and according to the PM role, a project manager spends about 90% of the time communicating. Communication of plans, timely reviews, and change management are all important aspects of the project that need attention at regular intervals. 

Step 9:  Reassess   

Reviewing and adjusting planning activity is as important as planning itself. An outdated plan can be as dangerous as having no plan at all and will give false direction to the project team and stakeholders. 

Step 10:  Final evaluation   

Project plans need to be evaluated and signed off by those accountable; every planning activity must inculcate the practice of inspection and adaptation post which the adjusted planning decisions must go through final evaluation and approval.  

How can Project Planning Software Help to Plan Projects?   

Project planning and implementation of planned activities involve handling a lot of concurrencies and managing a lot of conflicting tasks, priorities, and resources. This activity often entails a thorough understanding of the current state as well as the proposed state/outcome of the project. In such an intense environment, project management software can be a boon if rightly used to align and sequence project activities.

The project planning software essentially creates a structured framework for collaboration and automation of recurring tasks and processes. Planning software also facilitates the centralization of all information making it easy to retrieve and available on a need basis, especially in hybrid and agile setups where communication is the lifestream of business activities and execution. Project management software provides a transparent overview of completed, in progress, and planned projects to avoid bottlenecks and manage dependencies effectively. A short overview of project planning benefits include: 

• Improved schedule management 
• Facilitate cross-team communication and collaboration 
• Provide visibility to better manage and mitigate risks 
• Effective breakdown and allocation of tasks
• Improved team productivity 
• Easy-to-use reports and dashboards 

Best Project Planning Tools and Software in 2023   

1. gantt chart .

Gantt charts are one of the most essential and effective tools project managers use to track project progress and are used throughout the project lifecycle. They facilitate the creation of a visual project schedule/roadmap, point out milestones, and dependencies, and act as an indispensable information radiator for teams and stakeholders. Gantt charts are quite popular with teams of any size/methodology because they project the most realistic project schedule when correctly maintained and can highlight areas of risk or attention to project managers.

2. Critical Path Method (CPM) 

CPM is one of the most undermined project planning and management techniques. It involves envisaging the longest path or sequence of activities in the project by making use of the Gantt chart, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and network diagramming techniques. The activities that fall on this sequence or "critical path" are termed critical activities and assume the highest priority on the project schedule. The other activities which do not fall on this critical path are activities that have a float and this helps determine the other path i.e. the critical path which represents the shortest time needed to complete the project.

3. Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) Chart 

PERT is an estimation as well as scheduling technique that uses probabilities and simple statistical calculations to create a visual PERT diagram and identify independent activities. It is represented in the form of nodes and arrows sketched based on the order of activities in the project. Once the activity diagram is created, the earliest time (ET), latest time (TL), and slack time are determined for each activity. 

4. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 

WBS is a technique that comes in handy to organize and track project tasks sequentially and hierarchically. It is a visual representation of every task in the project and involves the decomposition of work into a smaller and more manageable set of tasks/activities. It is often used by project managers in conjunction with CPM and PERT. 

5. Project Documentation  

Project documentation is the beginning point that provides a glimpse of the project details, status, and open items. Every project should have a knowledge base or repository which aids newcomers to ramp up quickly on the project know-how and also address their concerns effectively.

Tips for Project Planning   

• Always start with the end in mind. 
• Understand project objectives, benefits, success metrics 
• Identify stakeholders and their interests 
• Understand the current state/problem statement 
• Understand the proposed state/solution statement 
• Define roles and responsibilities 
• Review risks and communicate about them 
• Create a unit-level roadmap with milestones
• Ensure to be considerate of environmental challenges 
• Revisit and review the plans drafted frequently along with tracking changes 

Apart from the above tips for project planning professionals, it is very vital to understand when to quit or pull the plug in certain unfortunate circumstances where projects drag and go on the downside - in which case, absorbing the sunk costs and shutting down the projects is only the feasible and economical resort. 

Simple Project Plan Example  

A traditional or simple project plan primarily has the following components: 

• Project purpose 
• Project stakeholders information 
• Executive summary 
• Business Objectives 
• Work Breakdown Structure 
• Deployment and Change Control Process 
• Schedule Management 
• Milestones and Dependencies 
• Project Schedule Representation 
• Cost Management and Budgeting 
• Quality Management 
• Resource Management 
• Communication Management 
• Risk Management 
• Procurement Management 
• Project KPIs and Metrics

Agile Project Plan Example   

An agile project plan follows the same structure as a traditional project plan with the only difference being that the project scheduling and activities are iterative and move in a continuous feedback loop. 

Free Project Planning Templates   

• project plan template - IC-Agile-Project-Plan-Template_Google_Doc  
• Gantt chart template - Gantt Chart Template Google Sheet  
• Multiple project roadmap template - IC-Multiple-Project-Roadmap-Template_Google_Doc  
• PM timeline template - IC-Multiple-Project-Roadmap-Template_Google_Doc  
• Project tracking template - Project tracking  

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How Project Planning Can Improve Your Organization and Career?   

Project planning is a non-negotiable ingredient for the success of any project manager or organization. Its importance in the project lifecycle cannot be overstated. When performed rightly, planning helps every other function and part of the organization perform smoothly. Structured planning not only aids the project manager in daily execution but also frees up the project progress from distractions due to off-track tasks, budgets, and controls. Regular planning and review help the project manager optimize efficiency, align only required resources, and save costs for the project and organization. 

In reality, projects tend to go on and on without a firm end unless planned appropriately and reviewed frequently. It is planning that defines what activities should be sequenced in what order to create project deliverables and complete projects as expected. In short, better project planning results in better project execution and controls as it addresses a lot of key aspects such as: 

• Improve overall business processes
• Provides opportunities to bring in economies of scale 
• Reduces rework and waste 
• Obtaining stakeholder alignment from the start 
• Helps in outlining a clear project scope 
• Creates transparency in roles and responsibilities 
• Provides opportunities to flag risks in advance and chalk out mitigation plans 

Apart from the above benefits, project planning also upholds the integrity of the project manager and organization in meeting their commitments to clients, third parties, and other stakeholders. 

Conclusion  

Project planning is an integral part of any project life cycle especially when projects operate in non-traditional and VUCA environments that have so many components requiring attention. Planning is not just another stage of the project lifecycle but it is the most crucial and defining factor with far-reaching impacts and consequences. Developing a concrete project plan can be simple and easy for any project manager, but also complex and drawn out depending on the nature of the project. Not having a project plan will only lead to failure because there would be no clarity on business objectives or roles and responsibilities which form the crux of any project execution, monitoring, and control. 

Drafting a project plan involves exhaustive mapping and categorization of project objectives, schedules, activities, and resources to ensure things fall in the right place while executing the project. It is also imperative to note that projects have a larger impact on the organization as a whole. When planned thoroughly, projects engage efficiencies, save resources, reduce costs, improve ethos, and contribute to a positive environment. Project management in any organization always commences with project planning - if planning is focused and precise, the organization stands to gain wins with the project's success. Ace your career with world class courses and training from the experts - find out from our catalogue of KnowledgeHut’s courses for Project Managers today. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The project manager is responsible for the project. They are the key personnel who plan the project, gather resources, align and manage activities, resources, and tasks throughout the project lifecycle. 

Project planning in project management helps identify activities, sequence them, create schedules, align milestones and most importantly identify and assess risks thereby helping in flagging items early in the cycle and minimize impact of risks or driving mitigation strategies to address risks. 

Project cost is an important component in the iron triangle of project management and project cost planning involves estimating, allocating and controlling project costs. Budgets planned and approved in project cost planning only can be used during project execution. 

Rohit Arjun Sambhwani

Rohit Arjun Sambhwani is an IT professional having over a decade and half of experience in various roles, domains & organizations, currently playing a leading role with a premier IT services organization. He is a post graduate in Information Technology and enjoys his free time learning new topics, project management, agile coaching, and writing apart from playing with his naughty little one Aryan

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Project Management — A Project Management Plan

A Project Management Plan

• Categories: Project Management

About this sample

Words: 523 |

Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 523 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Project management plan outline example, project management plan essay example, introduction.

• Overview of project management plan and its importance in project execution
• Mention of the integrated change control process for plan updates

Contents of the Project Management Plan

• Explanation of the components included in the project management plan
• Description of the purpose and significance of each component in managing a project

Development of the Project Management Plan

• Discussion of the process of developing the project management plan
• Emphasis on inputs, tools, and techniques used in this process

Key Management Reviews

• Explanation of the role of key management reviews in the project management plan
• Listing of inputs required for this step and tools and techniques used

Tools and Techniques

• Explanation of project management methodology, project information system (PMIS), and expert judgment as tools and techniques used in the development of the plan
• Detailed description of the PMIS components

Project Execution Activities

• Overview of the activities required for successful project execution
• Listing of key actions and tasks involved in project execution, including risk management, communication, data collection, and lessons learned

Implementation of Corrective and Preventive Actions

• Explanation of how corrective actions bring project performance in line with the plan
• Description of preventive actions to reduce potential negative consequences
• Level of implementation of each selected process
• Descriptions of tools and techniques to be used for accomplishing those processes
• How selected processes will be used to manage the specific project
• How work will be executed to accomplish the project objectives
• How changes will be monitored and controlled
• How configuration management will be performed
• How integrity of the performance measurement baselines will be maintained and used
• The requirements and techniques for communication among stakeholders
• The selected project life cycle and, for multiphase projects, the associated project phases
• Support generation of the project management plan
• Facilitate feedback as the document is developed
• Control changes to the project management plan
• Release the approved document
• Submitting proposed changes
• Tracking systems for reviewing and authorizing changes
• Providing a method to validate approved changes
• Implementing change management system• Configuration management system, which forms a collection of formal procedures used to apply technical and administrative oversight to do the following:
• Identify and document functional and physical characteristics of a product or component
• Control any changes to such characteristics
• Record and report each change and its implementation status
• Support audit of the products or components to verify conformance to requirements
• Perform activities to accomplish project objectives
• Expend effort and spend funds• Staff, train, and manage project team members
• Obtain quotation, bids, offers, or proposals as appropriate
• Implement planned methods and standards
• Create, control, verify, and validate project deliverables
• Manage risks and implement risk response activities
• Manage sellers
• Adapt approved changes into scope, plans, and environment
• Establish and manage external and internal communication channels
• Collect project data and report cost, schedule, technical and quality progress and status information to facilitate forecasting
• Collect and document lessons learned and implement approved process improvement activities
• The process of directing and managing project execution also requires implementation of the following:
• Approved corrective actions that will bring anticipated project performance into compliance with the plan
• Approved preventive actions to reduce the probability of potential negative consequences

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